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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24161200">Ti Kote, Par Oyay</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Roen_Finch/pseuds/Roen_Finch'>Roen_Finch</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Marriage, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Secret Relationship, bi obi wan, gay cody, mando cody, secret mando obi wan</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 20:47:41</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,733</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24161200</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Roen_Finch/pseuds/Roen_Finch</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Obi Wan Kenobi and his faithful clone commander, Cody, have grown tired of death and uncertainty and the un-kriffing-ending war. It takes one last hard won battle with hard hitting losses to push the secret couple into taking an unprecedented step for their future.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>CC-2224 | Cody/Obi-Wan Kenobi</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>260</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Ti Kote, Par Oyay</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sharkchimedes/gifts">Sharkchimedes</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>a gift for a friend :)</p>
<p>Mando'a translations in the end notes</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>It was only with the familiar lurch of a ship entering hyperdrive that Obi Wan Kenobi let out the breath he had been holding. It was a small ritual, the one that let his mind and body know </span>
  <em>
    <span>it’s over, you can rest now</span>
  </em>
  <span> after the hardest days. And this had been a kriffing hard day. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>In the end, it had taken a week to overcome the Seperatist forces on Dandoran. What should have been a simple in and out mission turned deadly when the Hutts decided to send backup for the droid army. A wet, miserable week later they were counting their dead by the thousand and scraping mud out of every landing ship so they could actually return to the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Negotiator</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was days like this Obi Wan struggled to remember why he had returned to the Jedi Order in the first place. Whenever Obi Wan found himself commiserating with his teenage self he knew it was time for a blisteringly hot shower and a rest. Not like he had time for that. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He was still in his mud and leaf caked robes, his boots making an awful </span>
  <em>
    <span>squish</span>
  </em>
  <span> sound with every step. He had not had time to get cleaned up when his ship docked, too much had to be done. Squaring his troops away, making his preliminary reports, setting their next course… His to-do list was endless, but his nerves were not. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Obi Wan felt like every fiber of his being had been picked apart and shoved back into a vaguely Kenobi-like shape. He must look as terrible as he felt because a bridge officer offered to send for a medic droid. That was his cue to go. He was a general, a leader. He had to be strong for his men, especially when they were mourning so many of their brothers. No, it would not do for them to be worrying about him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He made a </span>
  <em>
    <span>squish-squish-squishy</span>
  </em>
  <span> retreat to his quarters, trying to look as dignified as a bone tired, mud crusted man could. His rooms on the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Negotiator</span>
  </em>
  <span> were as close to a home as he had nowadays. He was so rarely at the Jedi Temple and had lived a rather transient life before the war. There was always another mission, another job to be done, so he was always on the move. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sometimes he felt pangs of jealousy for those who had a permanent place to call home. A place that you could decorate and fill with love. Jedi were not supposed to have attachments, or things for that matter, so the idea of </span>
  <em>
    <span>home</span>
  </em>
  <span> fell apart rather quickly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Not that all the Jedi followed that rule though. Anakin thought he was sneaky, but that boy had always been bad at hiding things. At least bad at hiding them from Obi Wan. </span>
  <em>
    <span>He thinks he’s so subtle with his secret marriage and the way he hightails it to Padme’s place whenever we are in Coruscant.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Maybe it was the fact that it was </span>
  <em>
    <span>Anakin</span>
  </em>
  <span> who broke these rules that made it hurt more. Obi Wan loved Anakin like a brother, had raised him since he was nine, and now he was grown and breaking all the rules Obi Wan wished he could break.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>This train of thought was getting him nowhere, so Obi Wan focused on getting cleaned up instead. He had a private ‘fresher attached to his room and he was never more grateful for it than moments like these. It took far too long to scrub all the mud out of his hair and beard, not to mention patching up his wounds. He was far too tired for a force healing, so it was old fashioned bacta goo and bandages this time. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Washed and in fresh robes, Obi Wan sat precariously on the edge of his cot. Even for a general, his room was small. For the efficiency of the ship it had to be. Still, he had a cot, two drawers built into the wall, a desk that could seat two, and his ‘fresher. That was more than most could boast about. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Denying the deep temptation to just fall back and let sleep take him, a little more work had to be done first. For a start, he had to clean his lightsaber. If he could find it. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Kriffing shab not again</span>
  </em>
  <span>. It was not on his belt, and it was not in his pile of dirty robes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>No one could call Obi Wan Kenobi a careless person, in fact he was downright meticulous. He was not one to misplace his few belongings, especially not his lightsaber, but somehow it had a way of happening. If he did not have it there was one other who might know where it–</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The solid </span>
  <em>
    <span>clang</span>
  </em>
  <span> of the door opening made Obi Wan jump. It was hard to startle a Jedi, but Obi Wan had been blocking all movements of the force from shear overstimulation. Besides, only one other person had the access codes to his quarters.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sir, are you looking for this?” Cody asked, standing in the doorway with his helmet under one arm and a shiny clean lightsaber held out in the other. A flood of relief hit Obi Wan and he beckoned the commander in. Cody himself was still a mess, but the lightsaber was gleaming. “I thought you may have forgotten giving this to me, you had that spacy tired look.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Cody sat down in one of the desk chairs, setting the lightsaber down carefully. For nearly any other general and commander this act would be presumptuous and overreaching, but for Obi Wan it was pure and unadulterated affection. Cody was always welcome in the general’s quarters. To any outsider, it was merely two military leaders conferring on important plans. For the two of them, it was a single thread of humanity in a hellish, dehumanizing war.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Vor entye, cyar'ika</span>
  </em>
  <span>” Obi Wan hummed, affection blooming in his chest at the blush that rose on Cody’s cheeks. Cody loved it when Obi Wan used Mando’a, and Obi Wan used that to his advantage. It was no secret that Obi Wan Kenobi was an appreciator of Mandalorian culture. No, the secret was how Obi Wan, a Jedi sworn to forgo attachments, had fallen in love with his </span>
  <em>
    <span>mando’ade</span>
  </em>
  <span> clone commander. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Their first meeting had sealed it, really. Obi Wan disliked how so many of his fellow Jedi were already treating the new clone army like tools to be used and disposed of, so he made a point to greet as many personally as he could. This policy did not last long, but his determination to treat his troops with the humanity they were so often denied established his reputation as a wonderful man to serve with.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Cody had made one kriffing impression. He had the passion instilled by the Mandalorian trainers, but also a tempered personality that had been more than appealing. When Obi Wan asked if his name was a bastardization of </span>
  <em>
    <span>kote</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Cody had cooly replied that his cultural identity was not another piece to be taken from him by the GAR, so his name would be Cody until he was free to be </span>
  <em>
    <span>Kote</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Obi Wan fell a little bit in love right then and there. He knew some of the struggle of being an individualist shoved in a uniform mold, and he understood how freeing the Mandalorian ethos was for that delima. Cody had served him well and they grew in trust and friendship. Pure friendship was only going to last so long, Cody could not hide his feelings from the force and Obi Wan could not hide his feelings from himself. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The shift from Jedi and commander to friends to lovers happened naturally and secretively. Unlike Anakin, Obi Wan was an actual master of discretion. Their relationship was unusual, but it was theirs and theirs alone and that made it beautiful. No one else could relate, unless the rumors about Aalya Secura were to be believed, but that was fine by them. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Obi Wan discovered that Cody showed his love by caring. Fetching him food, helping with paperwork, even cleaning his lightsaber. For Obi Wan, someone who had received so little individual care and attention before, it was enough to bring him to tears. For his part, Obi Wan cherished Cody for who he was in his core. He respected Cody, valued his worth, honored his culture, and loved him so deeply it hurt.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Ner kar'taylir darasuum, udes</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” Cody’s voice brought Obi Wan back to the present. It took him a moment to register all the words, he was not as fluent as his partner was. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I will rest when my work is done.” Obi Wan sighed, knowing it would earn him a scowl. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Obi Wan, the ship is not going to fall apart if you get a few hours of sleep.” Cody tutted, standing up and moving towards his Jedi. “Now, I smell like I’ve been in a mudhorn’s cave so I am going to clean up in your ‘fresher and if you are not asleep by the time I am done I will cuddle you into submission.” He pressed a soft kiss onto Obi Wan’s forehead, gently pushing him into a supine position. Not that Obi Wan fought it, he was so very tired and Cody’s presence was so very relaxing.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Obi Wan did not know how long he had been asleep, but it felt like ages. As soon as his head hit the cot it had been lights out. Now, his quarters were dark and a warm mass was pressing into his back. Cody made good on his cuddling threat, even though Obi Wan had already been asleep. He did not mind. In fact, he always slept better when his love was smooshed into the cot with him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Obi Wan was the little spoon, with Cody’s arm wrapped tightly around his torso and his face pressed firmly between his shoulder blades. Obi Wan loved sleeping like this. It was safe, and warm, and so terribly comforting. Cody slept deeply, although Obi Wan could sense the grief lurking below the surface.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was always hard when they lost men. Casualties were not taken lightly by either men, but Obi Wan knew it was harder for Cody. When every man you buried had your same face it was a grim preview of your own funeral. Death hung low over all their heads, which made the desire to stay here curled up with Cody even stronger. Hold tight to the ones you love, they may not be here tomorrow. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Obi Wan reached back gently, settling his hand on Cody’s thigh. It was warm and muscular and </span>
  <em>
    <span>alive</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Every point of contact was a comfort, an opportunity to commit these precious moments to memory. Their love was secret and their life together was little more than stolen kisses and battlefield chaos. The war would end one way or another, and chances were they would not live to see it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“If we are going to die, let us die as husbands.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Cody’s voice was muffled against Obi Wan’s back. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Shab, sometimes I swear this man is force sensitive.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m sorry, did I wake you?” Obi Wan asked, voice quiet and hoarse from sleep. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, I can always tell when you are about to stir.” Cody replied, voice still muffled. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Well, there goes the second cryptic thing of the day, might as well go with it.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What… what did you mean, die as husbands?” Obi Wan asked, not completely sure if he wanted the answer.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Our losses on this mission were sobering, I know you are thinking about it too. I just– I don’t want to die alone, without ever having anything real to my name. Kriff, I thought it was clear I was asking you to marry me.” Cody let the words hang, everything that was unsaid was being broadcast clear as day through the force.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Cody was tired. He was tired of grief, tired of fear, and tired of waiting for the future. Underneath this, Cody projected an absolute, unwavering certainty in his love for Obi Wan, the sort of love that renewed strength and overcame all obstacles. This love powered an incredible will, one that was determined to change the shape of the future and bend the odds in their favor. Obi Wan knew Cody possessed these depths, and only a moment’s reflection showed him that it was a depth they shared.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I would marry you in a heartbeat if it were not for the Jedi’s rules.” Obi Wan whispered, his voice catching and tears in his eyes. He wanted so desperately to embrace the future Cody dreamed of, to throw caution to the wind and claim his bit of peace and happiness in this terrifying galaxy. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Mandalorian marriage requires neither witness nor document. We can be married this heartbeat, Jedi rules be damned.” Cody said empathetically, shifting to face Obi Wan. “We can be together no matter where we are and nothing in this kriffing galaxy can take that from us.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Obi Wan surged forward, clinging to Cody and pressing a passionate kiss onto his lips. In a single moment, Cody made all his dreams possible again. They could marry, they could reclaim something positive and beautiful and life affirming out of the shab-storm that was this war. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Then yes, I will marry you right now.” Obi Wan said breathlessly, his forehead pressed against Cody’s. His hands cradled the clone’s head, holding them together as if their lives depended on it. “I don’t want to waste another second of the rest of our lives not being married to you. I want to leave this whole blasted mission with something </span>
  <em>
    <span>good</span>
  </em>
  <span> to cling to.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The joy rolled off Cody in waves and Obi Wan was glad there were no other force users on the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Negotiator</span>
  </em>
  <span> or they would have a lot of questions to answer. “Wherever you are, Cody, my home is. Tell me what to do.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Cody beamed, wrapping both arms securely around the Jedi’s waist. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Repeat each line after me, and that is all.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Mhi solus tome, mhi solus dar'tome, mhi me'dinui an, mhi ba'juri verde.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The soft words echoed through the cabin, the voices of clone and Jedi blending together into one. The simple vows were completed with wet eyes and wide smiles. The two had become one, husbands joined by pledge to each other and to the dream they shared. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They spent the next few hours curled up in Obi Wan’s quarters, holding each other and relishing their new commitment. Now, no matter how far duty took them from each other they would never be alone. They soon had to return to normal life, but for those few blissful hours they dreamed of a future where they could live together in peace. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>(Neither of them could know this, but their futures held more pain and more happiness than either could fathom. Years later, after regime change and betrayal, death and victory, and the removal of that blasted kriffing chip, Obi Wan and Cody would get their wish. They would live undisturbed in the wilds of the outer rim, fulfilling their last mission, and waking up every morning in each other's arms.)  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was some weeks later when Anakin and Obi Wan finally had a chance to catch up. They sat in a quiet corner of the mess hall, watching the swirl of troops around them and picking at ration bars. A long table of shinies were banging their fists on the table in rhythm, chanting in time and growing louder with each verse.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Do you know what they’re saying?” Anakin asked, leaning back in his seat. Obi Wan hummed and listened for a moment. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Really, Anakin, you should make more of an effort to understand the culture your troops have adopted,” Obi Wan waved a hand at his former apprentice, “It’s a Mando’a chant, </span>
  <em>
    <span>ti kote, par oyay.</span>
  </em>
  <span> It means ‘with glory, for life’ and is sung to grant favor in battle.” Anakin quickly grew disinterested in the cultural lesson.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Since when do you know that much Mando’a? It couldn’t have been your time with Satine.” Anakin scoffed, getting too much pleasure out of bringing up Obi Wan’s ex. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, it was something like that.” Obi Wan murmured, catching Cody’s eye from across the room and smiling. </span>
  <em>
    <span>With Kote for life, indeed. We are one.</span>
  </em>
  
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Mando'a translations</p>
<p>ti kote, par oyay - with glory, for life<br/>Kote - glory<br/>Vor entye cyar'ika - thank you, darling<br/>Ner kar'taylir darasuum, udes - my love, rest<br/>Mhi solus tome, mhi solus dar'tome, mhi me'dinui an, mhi ba'juri verde. - We are one together. We are one when parted. We share all. We will raise warriors.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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